Michael Allen Represents FB as Wuerffel Trophy Nominee
8/11/2026 11:00:00 AM | Football
Annual honor is considered college football’s premier community service award
ATLANTA, Ga. – Baylor football fifth-year senior safety Michael Allen has been named to the 2026 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, as announced Tuesday by the Wuerffel Foundation.
Allen is one of 113 candidates nominated for this year's award, which recognizes student-athletes who use their platforms to serve others and make a positive impact in their communities. Named after Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and former University of Florida quarterback, the award reflects his lifelong commitment to leadership, service and unity.
One of the most highly regarded leaders on the Bears' roster, Allen has dedicated over 100 hours of his time to work in the Waco community. From assisting in food preparation of school lunches to building homes for underserved areas of Waco, facilitating toy drives and reading to elementary school students, among many other service opportunities, Allen has been an active member in the community fostering relationships and serving those in need.
Perhaps his most notable work comes as Baylor's chapter leader for Uplifting Athletes, a national nonprofit that harnesses the power of sport to raise money and bring hope to people impacted by rare diseases. Supporters are able to pledge a monetary amount per rep that athletes complete at dedicated workouts, with all proceeds going to research for cures and treatments. For the last four years, Allen has organized and led fundraising events that raised more than $10,000 in support of rare disease research by recruiting teammates, campus partners and community members.
Allen has played in 28 career games, primarily serving as the team's lead blocker on kickoff returns. He has returned three kicks in his career for 57 total yards, including a career long of 26 yards at SMU last season. After breaking his arm on a first-quarter kick return at Oklahoma State, Allen remained in the game and played through the pain before missing the next three weeks to recover from the injury.
Off the field, Allen holds a perfect 4.0 GPA in pursuit of a master's in business administration. He earned a finance and management degree from Baylor with a 3.96 GPA throughout his undergraduate career.
For the third consecutive year, the Wuerffel Foundation is partnering with Allstate and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) to unite college football's top community service honors. In September, 11 of the watch list nominees will be named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and also become semifinalists for the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy. The award's finalists and recipient will be selected by the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy National Selection Committee, with input from a fan vote. The 2026 recipient will be announced as part of The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 11 on ESPN and will serve as the captain of the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
The 2026 Baylor football season kicks off on Sept. 5 with the Aflac Kickoff Game against Auburn in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with national coverage provided by ABC. BU opens its home slate on Sept. 12 against Prairie View A&M, the first of a three-game homestand at McLane Stadium. Fans can purchase tickets for all home games here.
To stay up to date on all things Baylor football, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BUFootball.
-BaylorBears.com-
Allen is one of 113 candidates nominated for this year's award, which recognizes student-athletes who use their platforms to serve others and make a positive impact in their communities. Named after Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and former University of Florida quarterback, the award reflects his lifelong commitment to leadership, service and unity.
One of the most highly regarded leaders on the Bears' roster, Allen has dedicated over 100 hours of his time to work in the Waco community. From assisting in food preparation of school lunches to building homes for underserved areas of Waco, facilitating toy drives and reading to elementary school students, among many other service opportunities, Allen has been an active member in the community fostering relationships and serving those in need.
Perhaps his most notable work comes as Baylor's chapter leader for Uplifting Athletes, a national nonprofit that harnesses the power of sport to raise money and bring hope to people impacted by rare diseases. Supporters are able to pledge a monetary amount per rep that athletes complete at dedicated workouts, with all proceeds going to research for cures and treatments. For the last four years, Allen has organized and led fundraising events that raised more than $10,000 in support of rare disease research by recruiting teammates, campus partners and community members.
Allen has played in 28 career games, primarily serving as the team's lead blocker on kickoff returns. He has returned three kicks in his career for 57 total yards, including a career long of 26 yards at SMU last season. After breaking his arm on a first-quarter kick return at Oklahoma State, Allen remained in the game and played through the pain before missing the next three weeks to recover from the injury.
Off the field, Allen holds a perfect 4.0 GPA in pursuit of a master's in business administration. He earned a finance and management degree from Baylor with a 3.96 GPA throughout his undergraduate career.
For the third consecutive year, the Wuerffel Foundation is partnering with Allstate and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) to unite college football's top community service honors. In September, 11 of the watch list nominees will be named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and also become semifinalists for the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy. The award's finalists and recipient will be selected by the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy National Selection Committee, with input from a fan vote. The 2026 recipient will be announced as part of The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 11 on ESPN and will serve as the captain of the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
The 2026 Baylor football season kicks off on Sept. 5 with the Aflac Kickoff Game against Auburn in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with national coverage provided by ABC. BU opens its home slate on Sept. 12 against Prairie View A&M, the first of a three-game homestand at McLane Stadium. Fans can purchase tickets for all home games here.
To stay up to date on all things Baylor football, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BUFootball.
-BaylorBears.com-
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